Retirement begins with summoning Yuan Tiangang

Leaving the bloody and chaotic central square, the passageway seemed to extend deeper underground.

The air grew increasingly cold and damp, yet the concentration of spiritual energy remained high, though it was mixed with a faint, unsettling aura of decay.

Shangguan Yunque walked slowly, toying with the Xuan Turtle Shell fragment in his hand. Occasionally, he would look at the incomplete runes that occasionally appeared on the wall, his brows furrowed slightly, as if he were deducing something.

He was no longer as lazy and casual as before; he was more focused.

Shadow Seven, Shadow Eight, and the others dared not disturb them and followed silently.

Having witnessed two consecutive conflicts, though they were mostly bystanders, the brothers' mindset underwent a subtle change.

The initial tension and fear gradually subsided, replaced by a wary calm and a deeper desire for power.

In particular, Shangguan Yunque's effortless and flawless performance opened a new window for them—so this is how a strong person can be.

The passageway seemed endless, with more and more branching paths, making it as complex as a maze.

But Shangguan Yunque always chose a direction without hesitation, as if he knew the path perfectly well.

"Sir, have you been here before?" Shadow Eight couldn't help but ask in a low voice.

"I've never been here before."

Shangguan Yunque didn't even turn his head.

"But the layout of this cave dwelling subtly resembles an ancient star map. Following the guidance of the stars, you shouldn't go wrong. That old fellow Xuanjizi just loves playing these mystical games."

Ancient star chart? Yingqi and Yingba were completely confused, but they felt a sense of awe and wonder.

After walking for about half an hour, the view suddenly opened up, revealing a tightly closed, dark golden door that was neither stone nor jade.

There were no decorations on the door, only two simple and ancient characters: Quiet Room.

The door was ajar, leaving a crack through which soft white light shone.

Upon arriving here, the stench of decay seemed to have faded somewhat, replaced by a purer, more refined spiritual energy, and an indescribable sense of vicissitude and loneliness.

"This is it."

Shangguan Yunque stopped in his tracks, a knowing look on his face.

He put away the tortoise shell, straightened his clothes and hair, and even took out a small mirror to look at himself before reaching out and gently pushing open the dark gold door.

"Squeak—"

The sound of the door hinges turning was particularly clear in the quiet passageway.

Behind the door was a stone chamber that wasn't very large.

The stone chamber was arranged in an extremely simple manner, even rudimentary.

A stone bed, a stone table, and two stone stools.

On the stone bed lay a futon that had long since decayed into ash, and on the stone table sat a Go board with scattered Go pieces, seemingly an unfinished game.

A fist-sized luminous pearl was embedded in the ceiling of the stone chamber, emitting a cool and soft light that illuminated the room.

Apart from that, there was nothing there.

There were no mountains of martial arts manuals, no dazzling divine weapons, and no fragrant elixirs.

There was only a cold, quiet room, an unfinished game of chess, and a loneliness that seemed to have been frozen in the air for a thousand years.

"This... is this where Xuanjizi passed away?" Yingba was somewhat disappointed, looking around. Where was the treasure?

Captain Zhao and the others also looked puzzled.

This was far from the final abode of the nine great beings of the Celestial Realm that they had envisioned.

Shangguan Yunque, however, seemed completely unsurprised. His gaze immediately fell on the chessboard, his eyes shining with an astonishing intensity.

"As expected... this is what was left behind."

He muttered to himself, walked forward, sat down at the stone table, and carefully examined the unfinished game on the chessboard.

Shadow Seven also looked at the chessboard.

He only had a superficial understanding of Go. He could only see that the black and white stones were intertwined, seemingly evenly matched, yet also seemingly harboring deadly intent. After watching for a while, he felt dizzy, as if the Go board had transformed into a battlefield of stars, containing endless mysteries.

"Don't look for too long," came Shangguan Yunque's voice.

"This chess game contains a portion of Xuanjizi's Dao and divine thoughts. If one's cultivation is insufficient, looking at it for too long will be mentally taxing."

Ying Qi quickly looked away, her heart pounding. Such a formidable game of chess?

"Sir, is this chessboard... the treasure?" Captain Zhao asked.

"You could say that, or you could say that it isn't."

Shangguan Yunque tapped the edge of the stone table lightly with his fingers.

"Xuanjizi is a man of extraordinary talent, yet he is arrogant and eccentric. He disdains leaving behind such mundane things. This game of chess is the culmination of his life's understanding of the Dao, the secrets of heaven, and even his own cultivation. Whoever can comprehend this game will receive his true inheritance—not specific techniques or treasures, but his Dao."

He paused, then sighed, "Unfortunately, the game is already incomplete. Xuanjizi passed away before making his final move. This legacy is now incomplete. It cannot be forced."

Everyone suddenly realized, but looking at the profound chess game, they all knew that they had no chance of understanding it.

"Then...did we come for nothing?" Shadow Eight muttered.

"A free trip?"

Shangguan Yunque glanced at him, then suddenly smiled, a rather strange smile.

"Who said we came for nothing? Although Xuanjizi is aloof, he's not so stingy as to leave nothing behind. Since he set up this cave to lure future generations here and left this unfinished game, he naturally hopes that someone can inherit his Dao, even if it's just the tip of the iceberg."

He stood up, walked to the stone bed, and gently pressed a spot on the edge of the bed.

With a soft "click," a hidden compartment popped open on the side of the stone bed.

The hidden compartment was small, and only three items were placed inside.

A white token, neither gold nor jade, with a warm, smooth feel, engraved with the character "玄".

A palm-sized, purple-gold gourd, plugged in, its contents unknown.

There was also an old scroll, dark yellow in color and of unknown material.

Shangguan Yunque took out the three items and placed them on the stone table.

"This token should be the control token for the core restrictions of the cave, or rather, a partial key to accessing this Mysterious Cave Heaven. Holding it will make moving around within the cave much easier, and may even allow control of some of the formations."

He pointed to the white token.

"This gourd..." He uncorked it, and a light yet refreshing medicinal fragrance, seemingly capable of cleansing the soul, wafted out. Just one whiff was enough to invigorate everyone, and the fatigue of the past few days seemed to dissipate considerably.

"It should contain the Cleansing Spirit Pill refined by Xuanjizi. It's of extremely high quality and very effective in nourishing the soul and dispelling inner demons. It's a treasure for those of us who often roam in the shadows."

He put the stopper on.

"As for this scroll..." he slowly unrolled it.

There were no words on the scroll, only an extremely complex pattern composed of countless lines and dots of light, like a star map or some kind of array formation, mysterious and difficult to understand.

"This is probably Xuanjizi's research on the Dao of Confrontation, or on some of the geological veins of this Southern Desert. Its value... is immeasurable."

None of the three items directly improve cultivation or combat power, but their potential value probably far exceeds that of immortal milk and spiritual medicine outside.

"Sir, these things..." Captain Zhao hesitated.

"According to the rules, whoever finds it gets to pick it first."

Shangguan Yunque was very decisive.

"This gourd of pills is somewhat useful to me, so it's mine. You can choose one of the token or the scroll; I'll take the other back to the organization. Of course, you'll receive a fair share of contribution points for this discovery."

Captain Zhao and the others exchanged glances, all somewhat excited.

This is the legacy of a supreme being at the ninth level of the Celestial Realm!

Even if it's just a part of it, it's enough to drive countless people crazy.

"We will leave everything to your discretion, sir!" Captain Zhao said, cupping his hands in greeting.

They knew very well that without Shangguan Yunque, they wouldn't even be able to find this stone chamber.

Shangguan Yunque nodded, his gaze sweeping over Shadow Seven and Shadow Eight, before suddenly saying, "Shadow Seven, Shadow Eight, you two did contribute this time, though mainly by running and watching. You can choose one: the token or the scroll."

"what?"

Shadow Seven and Shadow Eight were completely dumbfounded.

Let them choose? This...this is way too expensive!

What merit or ability do they possess?

"M-Master, this is too precious! We..." Shadow Seven hurriedly waved his hand.

"Just choose what you're told, stop with the nonsense!" Shangguan Yunque waved his hand impatiently.

"I'm in a good mood, so I'm rewarding you. Hurry up, stop dawdling like a woman!"

Shadow Seven and Shadow Eight: "..." My lord, you seem to have no right to say that...

The two brothers exchanged a glance, both seeing excitement and bewilderment in each other's eyes.

Finally, Shadow Seven took a deep breath, stepped forward, and looked at the token and the scroll.

The token represents the cave's authority and is useful, but it may not be as useful once you leave the cave.

The scroll is Xuanjizi's research insight, which may contain profound knowledge, but requires extremely high comprehension and relevant foundation to understand, which is somewhat distant for them at present.

"Your subordinate... will choose a token." Shadow Seven made the decision.

Having access grants at least an extra layer of security within the cave, and perhaps also allows one to find more resources directly useful for current cultivation.

"clever."

Shangguan Yunque nodded approvingly and tossed the white token to Ying Qi.

"A blood oath will suffice. Although it's only partial access, it's enough for you to roam freely in most areas of this cave—as long as you don't touch the true forbidden zones and core restrictions."

Yingqi took the token; it felt warm and smooth to the touch, and she vaguely sensed a strange connection.

He bit his fingertip and dripped a drop of blood onto the token. The blood was quickly absorbed, and the token's surface flashed with light. The character "玄" (Xuan) seemed to come alive, its surface swirling slightly.

At the same time, a vague map of part of the cave and simple restrictive control information flooded into his mind.

"Thank you, sir!" Ying Qi carefully put the token away.

Shangguan Yunque rolled up the scroll and hung the purple-gold gourd on his waist.

He looked at the unfinished game of chess again, remained silent for a moment, and then suddenly said, "Xuanjizi, Xuanjizi, why did you leave this game behind? Did you intend for someone to solve it, or... merely to prove that you were here, that you pondered it, that you... were unwilling to accept it?"

His voice was soft, carrying a rare hint of melancholy, a stark contrast to his usual carefree demeanor.

The stone chamber was silent, with only the cool light of the luminous pearl illuminating the chessboard, the stone table, and the gleaming silver figure lost in thought as he stared at the unfinished game.

At this moment, Yingqi suddenly felt that this Lord Shangguan, who always dressed flamboyantly and acted eccentrically, seemed to have a deep and unknown side hidden in his heart.

"Let's go."

Shangguan Yunque quickly regained her composure, stretched, and revealed her graceful figure.

"We've taken what we needed, seen what we wanted. Deep inside this cave... there's probably even more excitement to come. But it's not really our concern anymore. Let's go!"

Without looking back, he turned and walked out of the stone chamber.

"My lord, shall we not proceed any further?" Shadow Eight asked.

"Go deeper?"

Shangguan Yunque turned around, his peach blossom eyes curving upwards.

"Kid, greed knows no bounds. Do you think the real core area won't have even more powerful restrictions? No backup plans left by Xuanjizi? Or even... other old monsters who have been eyeing this place for a long time? We've made enough money, so it's time to quit while we're ahead. That's the way to survive and live long."

He shook the purple-gold gourd at his waist: "This trip was worth it."

The group suddenly realized what was happening and quickly followed.

Indeed, they have already gained far more than expected, so there is no need to take any more risks.

Just as they were about to leave the stone chamber, the chessboard on the stone table suddenly stopped moving!

A black chess piece, as if picked up by an invisible hand, landed gently on an empty space on the chessboard with a "snap".

The entire situation suddenly changed!

An indescribable, vast aura, seemingly from the ancient wilderness, mixed with a complex mix of feelings of relief, relief, and regret, swept through the stone chamber like a gentle breeze before vanishing without a trace.

Shangguan Yunque paused, turned around abruptly, and looked at the chessboard.

The game of chess was still not over, but it seemed... a little different.

He stared at the newly fallen black piece for a long time, his eyes shifting, and finally, he just sighed softly.

"So... this is what you were waiting for."

He muttered something incoherent in his mind, shook his head, and left the stone chamber without lingering.

Shadow Seven and Shadow Eight glanced back at the stone chamber that seemed to have been forgotten by time, and at the chessboard that seemed to have come to life, and a strange feeling inexplicably rose in their hearts.

This mysterious grotto, this chessboard, this celestial being who has passed away in meditation... all seem to hold stories that are difficult to explain.

They were merely passersby who stumbled upon this place, taking some things with them and leaving behind some questions.

The dark gold door slowly closed behind them, sealing away the cold and lonely atmosphere of the stone chamber once again.

In the passageway, Shangguan Yunque's steps became lighter, and he even hummed an off-key tune.

It was as if that moment of melancholy just now was merely an illusion.

"Let's go, let's find a way out! This godforsaken place, we'll grow mushrooms if we stay here any longer!"

He started yelling, and then he turned back into that heartless, effeminate Shangguan, who only cared about his makeup and his gains.

Yingqi gripped the token in his arms, feeling its warmth and subtle connection, and felt at ease.

Although this trip to the secret realm was mostly spent running around, living in fear, and being amazed by the adults' methods... the gains were substantial.

His cultivation showed faint signs of breaking through to the sixth level of the Innate Realm; he obtained a suitable weapon, a life-saving token, and a promised guidance from a Celestial Realm expert…

More importantly, they witnessed firsthand what true strength looks like, what a battle of wits is, and what... in the cruel world of cultivation, there might be a viable path.

"Brother, have we... made something of ourselves?"

Shadow Eight leaned closer and asked in a low voice, his face filled with barely suppressed excitement.

Yingqi glanced at the gleaming silver figure swaying gracefully in front of her, then at her younger brother beside her, whose eyes had hardened after experiencing life and death as well, and slowly nodded.

"It's... a good start, I suppose."

The road ahead is still long.

But at least, they are no longer helpless, vulnerable shadows in the darkness, subject to bullying.

They are the Bad Guys, Shadow Seven and Shadow Eight.

The passageway ahead was deep and dark, and no one knew where it led.

But at this moment, their hearts are filled with an unprecedented light and hope.

In Hexi Town, Lin Tian yawned, sat up from the rocking chair, and looked at the system interface. The "loyalty" of Shadow Seven and Shadow Eight had quietly jumped from 88% and 85% to 92% and 90%, respectively. He nodded in satisfaction.

"Not bad, looks like this mission was quite fruitful." He stroked his chin. "We'll have to treat them well when they get back."

On the grape trellis, the reflection of the battle and chaos in the snot bubble of the mini black dragon gradually blurred, replaced by the figures of people moving forward in the passageway, and the different expressions on each person's face.